Hemant Soren likens RSS to "rats," accuses BJP of communal tension

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Wednesday sharply criticized the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), accusing them of disrupting communal harmony for electoral gains in the poll-bound state.

In a virtual address to a rally in Bhognadih, Sahibganj, Soren compared the RSS to "rats" and alleged that both organizations were actively working to divide Hindu and Muslim communities in Jharkhand.

Soren's comments came as he criticized BJP's efforts to incite tension in the state, specifically pointing out the involvement of Assam's Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. He warned citizens to be wary of such forces attempting to enter villages to create unrest ahead of elections.

“RSS is invading the state like rats and destroying it. Chase such forces away when you see them entering your villages with 'Handia' and 'daru' (locally brewed liquor)," he remarked, emphasizing the need to resist attempts to sow discord.

The chief minister also warned that provocative actions, such as throwing meat into temples and mosques, might be used to ignite communal disturbances. He further accused the BJP of being a party for "traders and industrialists," claiming that they were buying political leaders to achieve their objectives, referring to former Jharkhand CM Champai Soren’s recent defection to the BJP.

Addressing concerns about demographic changes in the state, Soren dismissed BJP claims and instead suggested that critics analyze demographic data from neighboring West Bengal.